Bush wants to cut soldiers' hazard pay

[Boom_cha]

to save $300 million but he wasted $20 million on the recent IRS mailing to inform taxpayers that they would receive a check shortly.

http://www.ombwatch.org/budget/weblog/archives/000026.html

$20 Million Wasted for PR

The first round of IRS rebate checks to middle and upper income families with dependent children have been mailed. In addition, a second mailing by the IRS was conducted, at a cost of $20 million, letting people know a check would be on the way.

This second mailing (see text below) is completely unnecessary and wastes valuable resources at a time when deficits are already exploding.

Text of the letter:
"We are pleased to inform you that the United States Congress has passed and President George W. Bush has signed into law the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003," the letters read. "Within two weeks of receiving this notice, you will receive a check."

"If you qualify, we will send you a notice. There's no need to call, no need to apply, no need to fill out another form. The IRS will do all the work. A few days after the notice, you will get the check."

The personal touch is not cheap - the letters cost taxpayers about $20 million in postage, printing and labor costs, according to the General Accounting Office.

[NNN0LHI]

1. Update

No Pay Cut for Troops in Iraq, Afghanistan-Pentagon


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Moving to quash a political firestorm, the Pentagon (news - web sites) on Thursday denied that it will cut the pay of nearly 160,000 U.S. troops in Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites) by $225 on Sept. 30 when special military pay hikes approved by Congress are due to expire.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&e=5&u=/nm/20030814/ts_nm/iraq_usa_pay_dc

[Chico Rog]

2. A-Hole Politicians...

Give us this crap. This is just a cheap jack trick to up defense spending.
"Hey! We can't pay our troops!... Let tack on $1 or (cough) $300 billion more to the next defense spending bill to pay the poor bastards dying for our country."
Needless to say, most of this will not make it to the troops, it will mostly go to oh, I don't know, Haliburton, or some other $1200 toilet seat maker.
It is a damn crime to even let this situation get this close to happening.